Interview with Long Island Photographer Johnny Milano
As a photographer, I am always searching the internet looking for inspiration, reading artist interviews, and learning about different techniques and approaches to the visual arts. That is why I’d like to feature interviews with various artists here.
Today’s interview is with Long Island photographer Johnny Milano.
1. How long have you been shooting for? How were you introduced to photography?
I have been shooting since early 2007 during my junior/senior year of high school. I really got into it because of my dad the most. He used to really be into it and shoot slides and he has these sweet underwater shots from a while ago hanging on the wall by my stairs, and I would see them every time I would walk up my stairs. It was just really intriguing, and then I was stoked on taking the photo class in high school and after that I was hooked. Been shooting nonstop ever since.
2. Do you/did you go to college for photography?
I actually don’t go to college for photo. Not yet anyway. I’m currently, for lack of a photo/journalism major at my school, a speech communications major. I recently got accepted into the School of Visual Arts in NYC, and that would be really dope if I was able to afford to go there. Given the cost of tuition there I deferred enrollment until the fall, where I’d be put up for scholarship consideration. It’s tough for me to shell out that amount of money for a degree in which the field is %95 based on your portfolio. The debt seems unnecessary. If that doesn’t work out, I’ll definitely still be shooting, and trying to land a job at newspapers (NatGeo is ideal haha), but I’ll either look for other schools that offer such degrees, like Hunter, or I’ll just stay at my current school and switch to political science.
3. What gear do you use? Do you prefer film or digital?
I have a bunch of cameras but for digital I use a Nikon D80, film I stick with a nikon f100, or a nikon fe2, and I use an old yashicamat for 120 stuff. Oh I have a holga too, but I’m not sure if I’d consider that a legitimate 120 camera…..hmmm. I have more lenses than I know what to do with, but the main ones I usually stick with are: Sigma 10-20mm, Sigma 30mm f/1.4, Nikon 85mm f/1.4, Nikon 35mm f/2. Those lenses really cover the focal lengths that I need for what I really like to do like street photography, landscapes and portraits, although I do occasionally break out the 135mm f/2 every so often. I also have 2 flashes, lee filters, all that good stuff.
It depends for me, my moods change quickly and one minute I’ll be shooting digital and the next I’ll toss it in the bag and just start walking around shooting 120. Other times I’ll just use my digital camera to meter. I usually bring both with me.
4. You capture Long Island landscapes in a beautiful way. Where are your favorite spots on the Island to shoot?
Hmmmmm real good question. Hahaha. Concerning landscapes I really dig the north shore, and really anywhere out east. THe north shore has the rough terrain that we here on the south shore (and the rest of long island for that matter) rarely get to see when compared to the cliffs and valleys that exist all over the US. One of favorite shots though was taken at Captree state park maybe a half hour before sunset with a panoramic view of the bridge.
5. What I enjoyed about your work is how your landscape shots have this quiet serenity to them and your live music shots are just the opposite. Do you prefer shooting one over the other? Do you approach them differently?
I don’t really prefer one to the other, I mean, as a photographer yourself I’m sure you know, it’s two completely different state of minds. And maybe that’s why I do shoot them is because they’re so opposite. Nothing beats the feeling at a show, and I incorporate, or at least try to haha, the same level of composition, lighting (although limited, VERY limited ha), and everything else. But on the other end of the spectrum landscapes really let you to take your time, and really allow you to show what you want to show, and in a way force people what you want them to look at. I’m actually glad you chose those two subjects, because they couldn’t really get anymore opposite haha, they’re just two really different styles of shooting- almost as if all the emotions and energy is external at shows, while the emotions and energy is internal with landscapes. Oh and whenever i shoot landscapes, depending where I’m at, I take my shoes off.
6. And lastly, do you have any influences that inspire your work?
As far as influences goes I take influence from every photographer that I’ve taken interest in, mostly no-name small timers. Other than that I really like the work of Berenice Abbott, and Leon levinstein. I also feel a great influence lies in people themselves, I mean many of the portraits and street shots that you see wouldn’t be the same, or even close really, if I would have shot that maybe a second or two later. It’s that drive that really makes you scramble for your camera when you see something you think is unbelievable in something people do so routinely.
Check out more of Johnny’s work here!
